Game Thread: Illinois vs UConn

[FoundersClub]

Final minute or two there will come back to haunt us.

Imagine Hurley feels fortunate to be up 11

 

[kyillinifan]

KB I agree they are throwing hips as our defender goes by. How many shorts have we missed. Wow.

 

[Oldskoolkoach]

Punch one, hug one!
Hurley. Fran mccaffery

 

[IlliniCC16]

Could be the leftovers talking, but it feels like we’re due for a Michigan-Gonzaga level beatdown of UConn (or I’d settle for a 15-pt win). A game where the other team goes ice cold and we just can’t miss…please Lord, let today be the day!!

Follow up: it was, indeed, the leftovers.

 

[TheFlyingIllini1317]

We got 4 straight stops and four straight empty possessions. No reason we shouldn't be down only 5 at half.

 

[FleetFeetIllini]

Illegal screens the whole first half.

If they don't call it then we should be doing the same thing. The big guy on NW last year did the same thing every time and always got away with it. For some reason we never even try.

 

[SuperMetroid]

Easy for your offense to look amazing when you’re allowed to throw elbows on every single screen

 

[BBlock24]

Can we go back to how we felt about this team after beating Texas Tech? Lol

 

[abchew2]

Almost all of our misses are short today.

it’s the tryptophan /s

 

[LyricGold]

5 great looks to end the half and we missed them all. Frustrating stuff. Drej has missed 4 shots he normally makes. Should be closer then it is right now

 

[HailtotheChief]

Man I wish Kylan had hit that 3 to cut it to 6 . We have been battling the last 10 min. Just tough to get down so far and battle back essentially on the road vs UCONN.

Lee can in and played well near his home. That's is good to see.

 

[Chase321]

Did the defense improve late in the half or did we just start getting calls and UConn started missing?

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

I think it's kind of funny that Mihailo, offensively, knows how to work with a pick-and-roll inside and out, but defensively, has no idea how to get around a pick to save his life.

 

[CleverHandle1]

I appreciate Petro, KB and Andres taking the ball to the hole. But, we need points from that.

 

[stlrunner]

I still think we're in this game, but gotta come out the first half with some effort, clean up the defensive end, and hope Andrej starts finishing his shots. He's gotten good looks, but they aren't falling.

 

[DeeIL89]

Bad defense and missing good look shots can lead to playing timid. That first half was all timid and scare. Got to find confidence in the second half.

 

[FleetFeetIllini]

It’s November but issues that plagued last year team are rearing its ugly head with this team. Not good.

New roster, same result

 

[RDS]

We are the Washington Generals playing the Globetrotters. A go through the motions foil for fun afternoon UConn Garden party.

 

[Fighting I 95]

That was an terrible quick three by boswell/coaching staff. Just get a good look.

This team and coaching staff has been frustrating to watch year in and year out. Even with the success we continue to fail at the small things. Not sure we will ever be a great team with Underwood.

 

[Highlander]

Keys for 2nd half:

1. Make note of the pink 3-point line.
2. Quit short-arming shots.
3. Tomi must sit.
4. More Z & Lee
5. Get AS going…

 

[NorthShoreIllini]

Another season of hyperbole and excuses. This is just an awful staff that we’ve had to suffer through time and again in big games.

 

[CleverHandle1]

This team plays well when going to the hole. Keep it up.

Tomas is not in this game at all mentally or physically. What's he doing out there? Nothing!

 

[LuckyIllini]

BU teams = soft

 

[From the cheap seats]

When you can’t hit open 3’s…and can’t finish at the rim, it makes for a long day of chasing a 10-15 point deficit.

 

[cjw1901]

Where is our strength? Every shot is on the front of the rim?

Right, we're nervous (so tight), and not getting the ball over the rim. We must correct this.